Brexit fatigue: Diary of an EU citizen in the UK (28)

I have kept quiet lately on Brexit. Somehow I needed a break from it and the endless series of press conferences and leaks, grand posturing and ego-pleasing bravados, real or alleged negotiation failures, and the whole set of uncertainties that they project on us, EU nationals in Britain. By now it is clear that the UK government does NOT want to rapidly solve the issue of the position of EU nationals in Britain and UK nationals in Europe, as they had pledged, and rather continue to use it as a bargaining chip, especially now that other cards in the pocket of the British negotiation team have proved less effective than anticipated. Indeed, the rush to ensure trade continues flawlessly between Britain and the continent at the moment seems by far a greater concern of the UK than of the rest of Europe, but this may be some counter posturing from Barnier and his team. It is exactly this feeling of being caught in the middle of a football game, in which I am not a player and not even a spectator, but much more like the ball that is straining and from which I needed a break.

I admire the perseverance of fellow EU nationals who are campaigning tirelessly for an acceptable solution for EU nationals in Britain, and I certainly support their initiatives, especially the efforts to link with the campaign of Brits in Europe. But, keeping the momentum not just in terms of campaigning but also emotionally it is not easy, especially when your expectations are repeatedly frustrated by the turns and twists of the negotiations.

MPs have their summer recess, the rest of us are also allowed to take a break and recharge. As many EU nationals, I headed home to Italy with my family and now we are back home to the UK. Yes, we have two homes and no, I am not talking of house properties.

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This blog is associated to the project “EU families and Eurochildren in Brexiting Britain” led by a research team at the University of Birmingham, UK. The project is part of ESRC-funded “The UK in a changing Europe” initiative.